Musical instrument.



PATENTED APR. 14; 1908.

W; P. FLETCHER. MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

APPLIOATION. FILED JUNE 5, 1907.

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WILLIAM 1*. FLETCHER, OF BEAVER FALLS, PENNSYLVANIA.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Application filed June 5; 1907. Serial No. 377,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. FLETCHER,

citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Beaver halls, in the county of Beaver and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Musical Instruments, of which the follow ing is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to improvements in musical instruments, and more particularly to banjos or instruments having vellum or parchment covered heads.

The invention has for its primary object to provide an instrument of the above type with a novel sounding board for increasing the rl'iythmical series of tones of an instrument and enriching the euphonism thereof.

My invention aims to produce a banjo from which mellifluous music can be obtained, eliminating the harshness of the instrument. To this end, I provide the head of a banjo with. an annular flange projecting inwardly towards the skin, vellum or parchment of the head, said. flange being given a curvature which propagates the sound in the banjo head, besides increasing the volume and tone, and prmlucing a more harmonious musical instrument than the present type of banjo.

W'ith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described. and then specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing forming part of this specification, like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several. views, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan of a banjo head constructed in accordance with my invention, the tympan or sounding board and. securing clamp being removed. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view of the same, showing one of the securing clamps in position and the tympan or sounding board partly broken away. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan of the head, the tympan or sounding board and securing clamps being removed.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 designates the annular rim of a banjo head carrying an inwardly extending annular flange 2 at its lower edge, which projects upwardly within the rim 1, as at 3, within close proX- imity to the skin or parchment covering 4 of the rim and constituting a resonator. The flange 2 retards the sound waves set in motion by the parchment 4 and the strings (not shown) arranged therebn and the curvature of said flange deflects the sound waves toward the center of the rim, whereby, when eventually emitted, the sounds are of greater volume and softness.

In the constructionof the instrument, I make provision for fastening the parchment 4 and its frame upon the rim. I use a novel clamp which can be easily attached to the rim, without injuring whatever qualities the rim may have for increasing and enriching the tones of a banjo.

The clamp embodies a hook-shaped member 5 having a threaded end 6, said member engaging the frame 11 upon which the parchment 4 is stretched. In connection with the member 5 another hook-shaped member 8 is used having a pierced lug 9 through which the threaded end 6 of the member 5 extends and is held in engagement therewith by a nut 10. The hook-shaped member 8 is adapted to engage in the annular groove 7 formed in the bottom edge of the rim 1. It will, of course, be understood that a plurality of the clamps are employed for retaining the annulus or frame upon the rim 1, the clamps being preferably equally spaced around the rim, as is now the practice in connection with ordinary banjos.

It will be apparent from the novel. arrangement of the sounding board, that the same is applicable to tambourines and similar musical instruments, therefore I do not care to limit myself to its adaptation particularly to banjos.

l/Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a musical instrument of the type described, a rim provided at its lower edge with an inwardlyextending u wardlyinclined flange and having an annu ar groove in said lower edge above the lower edge of said flange, a sounding board resting on the upper edge of said rim, and clamping means for securing the sounding board to the rim comprising two hook members detachably-connected together, one of which engages the sounding board and the other of which engages in the groove in said rim.

2. In a musical instrument of the type described, the combination of a rim provided in oneedge with an annular groove, and a sounding board resting on its other edge, of

means for securing the sounding board in position, said means comprising a two-part hook clamp, the parts of which clamp are adjustably-connected together, one part having a hook end engaging in the groove in said rim, and the other part having a hook engaging the sounding board.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. FLETCHER.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM R. CUTHBERT, MAX H. SROLOVITZ. 

